Trowbridge Town Council Trowbridge Town Council Welcome to Trowbridge Town Council Magna Carta Baron Town Welcome to the website of Trowbridge Town Council. The Council is the first tier of local government for the County Town of Wiltshire, serving a population of over 40,000 and providing a range of services for the community. On our website you will find the following information about the Council and all of the services we provide, including Community Events, Active Trowbridge, Trowbridge in Bloom, Trowbridge Museum & Art Gallery, and Trowbridge Information Centre. Working with the community, we are always striving to achieve more for the town and its residents. We hope the site will prove useful: if, however, you have any further issues with which we may be able to help, please contact us. News & Events Trowbridge | Define Trowbridge at Dictionary.com Trowbridge noun 1. a market town in SW England, administrative centre of Wiltshire: woollen manufacturing. Pop: 34 401 (2001) Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd.

1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 Examples from the Web for trowbridge Expand Historical Examples trowbridge is one of our best present-day writers, and much of his work will be unknown to the next generation. Visitor UK Trowbridge - Tourist info for Trowbridge, Wiltshire Search: Welcome to Trowbridge Trowbridge is located on the River Biss, in the county of Wiltshire, approximately 104 miles west of London and 12 miles south-east of Bath. The town has a population of around 31,200. Administratively it is within the local government district of West Wiltshire which covers an area of approximately 517 sq kms and which has a population of around 122,000. This one time centre of the weaving trade is now the administrative centre for the county.

There are some notable historic buildings, including the partly 14th-century Church of St.James, as well as some fine 18th-century stone houses. The town, which is renowned as the birthplace of the shorthand inventor Sir Isaac Pitman, is a good base for visitors touring the Cotswolds and the Wiltshire Downs. The town's history dates from the 10thÂ century, although there is evidence that the land on which the town stands was farmed as far back as 3,000 years ago. The town received a charter in 1200, giving it the right to hold a market. By the 14th century Trowbridge was a centre of the wool industry; there was also a leather tanning industry. The wool industry continued until the 19th century, when the town wasÂ described as 'the Manchester of the West', and there was also a brewing industry. Historically, the town's economy was based upon the wool industry, tanning and brewing. Today,Trowbridge's industries include light engineering, food processing, call centres and bedding.

It is also home to both Wiltshire County Council and West Wiltshire District Council offices, the biggest employers in the town. The name Trowbridge derives from 'Tree Bridge' and refers to the original bridge across the River Biss. Wiltshire Council - Wiltshire Community History Get Community Information Condensed View - Comprehensive View Trowbridge This page is one of 261 pages covering every community in Wiltshire, and is provided by Wiltshire Council Libraries and Heritage. A project to provide a fuller picture of each community is in progress, working on the larger communities first. When these 261, which are modern civil parishes, are completed we will begin work on a further 180 villages and hamlets to provide comprehensive coverage of Wiltshire communities large and small. From Andrews’ and Dury’s Map of Wiltshire, 1773: Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre, Chippenham From Andrews’ and Dury’s Map of Wiltshire, 1810: Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre, Chippenham This is a corrected and updated edition of the 1773 map that includes the recently built canals.

Map of Trowbridge Civil Parish: 1890s Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre From the Ordnance Survey 1890s revision of the one inch to one mile map. The modern civil parish has been superimposed. Thumbnail History: Trowbridge is situated in the low-lying claylands of the Bristol Avon, astride the River Biss, which flows into the Avon to the north of the town. The reason for the establishment of the settlement is a low ridge, known as the Trowbridge Anticline which is only about 40 to 50 feet above the clay, but which consists of Cornbrash, a brashy limestone which provides a lighter and better drained soil than the clay. The River Biss cuts this ridge, creating a crossing point for travellers along the higher ground. The ridge itself proved attractive to early settlers, and excavators in 1986-88 found Bronze Age pottery, worked flint and antler, and animal bone.

Post-holes and evidence for ploughing were found and although this is not firm evidence for a settlement it does show that the area was being worked and managed between 3,500 and 3,000 years ago. The area was also used in the later Iron Age and the Romano-British centuries but the first evidence of actual settlement (post-holes for timber buildings) indicates permanent settlement from the 7th century. It is likely that the Saxon villagers lived on an east to west route along what is now Roundstone Street and Silver Street continuing down to the River Biss and the tree bridge which gave the town its name. The boundaries of Trowbridge seemed to have been in place by at least the 10th century but because it belonged to a wealthy layman there is no charter detailing these and they have to be defined from charters for Bradford and Steeple Ashton. Archaeological evidence has shown that the Saxon church here had a nave 50% longer that the existing Saxon church at Bradford and there are indications of an impressive timber house for the landowner.

At the time of the Domesday Book in 1086 Trowbridge (referred to as 'Straburg') was held by a Saxon, Brictric, whose father had held it before him. He was the most important Saxon landowner in Wiltshire. From the Survey, Trowbridge is seen as an agricultural village of average size and value which, from the number of households given, would seem to have had a population of around 100. It may be that not everyone was included in the Survey; certainly the priest was not, and the population could have been between 150 and 200. Soon after 1086 all Brictric's property passed to the most powerful lay landowner in Wiltshire, after the King; Edward of Salisbury. He gave Trowbridge to Humphrey de Bohun as a part of the dowry of his daughter, Maud. The de Bohuns chose Trowbridge as the headquarters of their estates in this part of Wiltshire; these were referred to as the 'honour of Trowbridge' and courts would be held in the town.

It is possible they chose Trowbridge because it was Brictric's main residence, but we do not know for certain. To mark the importance of Trowbridge to them the de Bohuns built a castle. The first mention of this is in 1139 when it was held by Humphrey de Bohun, on behalf of the Empress Maud, against King Stephen. The siege was not successful and Stephen, an impatient fellow, took himself off to Bristol. It is possible that the castle was only built for protection in this Anarchy period. The castle was of the motte and bailey type but archaeological excavation has not yet shown much detail of its construction or whether it was of timber or stone. The fact that it withstood Stephen's siege engines could argue the case for it being a long-established castle and not a hasty construction. The building of the castle and the removal of part of the village from the castle grounds altered the layout of the settlement. The former east-west route had gone past the church, still within the castle grounds and down to the river. Now the route turned to the right as it approached the castle and skirted the castle walls to a river crossing near the present Town Bridge.

This was the origin of Fore Street (before the walls) and gives us the shape of the castle layout as a semi-circle on the eastern side of the river. The development of village into town could have begun in the late 12th century. At this time the 'new church' (it was so called until the early 19th century even though the site of the old one had long been forgotten) was built the other side of the market place from the main castle entrance. This new and large church would have been required by an increasing population and most probably villagers and castle dwellers were tired of the former having to enter the castle for frequent services. In 1200 Henry de Bohun was granted the right to hold a weekly Tuesday market and an annual fair on the vigil, feast and morrow of St. James (24th-26th July), the patron saint of the new church. The market place was large, now part of Fore Street and Red Hat Lane, and at some point a stone market cross stood near the middle.

It was octagonal in shape and covered, similar but inferior to the one at Malmesbury, but it was pulled down in 1780 as it 'was of no further use'. The stone ball from the top is in the porch of the parish church. At some time burgage plots were created which tradesmen and artisans could rent and build themselves houses. This could have happened in the later 12th century but the earliest surviving documentary evidence for burgesses is in the early 1240s when Adam the Goldsmith sold a burgage in the town. Other references indicate the existence of a small borough under a powerful Lord of the Manor. By 1300 the castle was falling into disuse but its shape determined the layout of the town. Fore Street was in existence with burgage plots on the far side from the castle. The inner side was then built on in the old, filled in castle ditch while Castle Street was probably routed through the outer bailey of the castle.

The urbanisation of Trowbridge continued with burgage plots in Silver Street and Castle Street, while at the back of the plots on the northern side of Fore Street a lane (Back Lane, now Church Street) grew up to serve the backs of these properties and, later, the smaller houses that were built at the ends of these plots. Trowbridge was now recognisably a small market town with an urban centre and a large parish church. Although it had burgesses and was technically a borough no system of municipal administration seems to have evolved. It has been suggested that this is owing to the comparative smallness of the borough coupled with powerful Lords of the Manor and the agents against whom burgesses would not assert their corporate independence. The first reference to the town's greatest industry - cloth - comes in 1306 and the trade was doubtless well established by then. By the mid 15th century several important clothiers, such as John Wyke and James Terumber, lived in the town. These left money to improve roads, create new works in the church and endow a school.

The latter was transferred to Salisbury in 1569 on the grounds that Trowbridge was an 'upland town with little resort of gentlemen and merchants'. Despite this act of appropriation, Trowbridge was a prosperous medieval town, although, apart from the church and a recently restored timber-framed building in Church Street, little remains of this period. The prosperity of the local cloth trade continued through much of the Tudor period and the wealthy 15th century clothiers employed spinners and weavers who worked in their own homes, thus increasing the number of smaller houses around the edges of the main urban centre. When John Leland came to the town, circa 1540, he wrote that the town 'is very well builded of stone and flourisheth by drapery'. He mentioned the clothing families of Horton, Langford and Bailey. Many of these clothiers invested their money in property, married into the county gentry and became landed gentry themselves. The most successful were the Langford family who turned to practising law and Marie Langford, daughter of Edward and granddaughter of clothier Alexander, married Henry Hyde of Dinton in 1597.

Her son, Edward, became Duke of Clarendon and chief minister to Charles II, his daughter was Duchess of York and her two daughters were both Queens - Mary (wife of William of Orange) and Queen Anne. Part of the Langford home still survives at the top of Wicker Hill, though hidden behind a stone façade of 1700. With such wealthy inhabitants, including the Yerbury, Long and Wallis families, Trowbridge was a desirable manor and in 1536 Henry VIII gave it to Edward Seymour, later Duke of Somerset. The cloth trade at this time was the production of unfinished white broadcloth for export, but by the late 16th century this trade was in a period of stagnation owing to difficulties abroad. The clothiers of both Trowbridge and Bradford changed to a new type of cloth - the medley - made from fine wool (Spanish at first), which was dyed and mixed before being spun into yarn and the cloth was finished to a very high standard locally. Trowbridge and Bradford gained a great reputation for this cloth with clothier families such as the Mortimers and Houltons.

Another, William Brewer, was said to be the greatest medley clothier in England in 1670 and he was responsible for bringing some skilled Dutchmen into the two towns to introduce improved methods. After 1660 the town expanded beyond its medieval boundaries. In the north the Conigre area was developed and by 1692 Duke Street had been built. Other cottages were built on waste ground, as at Upper, Middle and Lower Studley, at Stallard's Corner and at Islington, and in gardens, courts and alleys behind the main houses of the town. Living conditions for these working poor were atrocious and the large populations of Bradford and Trowbridge were regarded with fear by the rest of the county as they were quite likely to erupt and riot. The population had grown considerably from an estimate of 1,200-1,500 around 1600 to an estimate, by a contemporary clothier, of 3,000 in 1739. In the later 17th century non-conformity was taking a hold in the town, with four separate meetings and a strong influence from the large early Baptist congregation at the village of Southwick.

There were Baptists and Presbyterian congregations which mainly attracted the upper grades of Trowbridge society. By the 18th century there were many more chapels which had a wider appeal and exerted something of a calming influence in the town, although throughout the century the town was still regarded as a potential hotbed of unrest. In 1796 barracks were built on the Bradley Road so that cavalry could be stationed there to quell any disturbances which might arise from ideas imported from revolutionary France. The 18th century provided the finest secular buildings remaining in the town with wealthy clothiers building houses on The Parade and the present Lloyds Bank between 1700 and 1730. Others in the first half of the century were the present HSBC bank (the only fine house in the town not built by a clothier), Lovemead House, Westcroft and many others. The cloth industry was still largely a domestic one with many processes carried on in the homes of the workers and others at the clothiers' houses or in workshops adjoining them.

It was not until around 1790 that machinery began to appear, firstly for carding and spinning the wool and then, around 1800, for raising the nap and shearing the cloth. The introduction of machinery provoked unrest, particularly among the shearers, who were the strongest and best organised group of work people. Most of the early machinery was powered by human, horse or water power. Trowbridge was not well provided with water power as the River Biss is slow moving. One water-powered factory - Stone Mill - was built in the 1790s, but it was not until steam power was introduced that large numbers of factories were built. Weaving was still done on handlooms and new weaver's houses were built in the 1790s in Newtown and Yerbury Street where narrow looms were placed on the top floor (of three) illuminated by large 'weaver's' windows. A larger development occurred in 1814 when Thomas Timbrell laid out Timbrell Street, Thomas Street, Charlotte Buildings and Prospect Place, incidentally creating a new route into the town.

The area known as 'The Courts', Castle Street and Court Street, was also covered by weaver's houses at this time. In 1808 the first steam-powered factory - Bridge Mills - was built in the town and this was followed by Court Mills in 1812. Others followed in Court Street between 1814 and 1820. Around 1815 a new road, the present Mortimer Street, was created with two-storey houses, especially for the factory workers. Until 1850, when a stone road bridge was built, the route between the houses and the factories was a wooden footbridge - Cradle Bridge - across the river. The building of the powered factories created a demand for a large labour-force, which meant that many people migrated to the town from the surrounding area. Between 1801 and 1821 the population increased from 5,799 to 9,545, when it was the 80th largest town in England.

The Kennet and Avon canal passed just to the north of the town and from 1810, when this was opened, it provided the means of transport for bringing coal to the town from the Somerset coalfield. Thus was provided a reasonably cheap source of fuel for the steam-powered factories. By 1820 Trowbridge was a factory town of some importance with some 15 factories. It was comparable to medium-sized northern industrial towns such as Rochdale and the later description of Trowbridge as 'the Manchester of the west' was only an example of ambitious daydreaming by its inhabitants. The town failed to develop further owing to a general decline in the west of England woollen industry. This was a gradual decline and there were good periods, especially in the 1860s and 1870s, when there was general prosperity. Trowbridge suffered from inadequate local government, as it was a fair-sized town with no corporation. A local board of health, with elected representatives, was set up in 1864, which slowly accomplished the job of cleaning up the town, providing a sewerage system and carrying out other improvements.

This was converted to an urban district council in 1894. The town was provided with gas by 1824 and the railway, with a Brunel-designed station (now demolished) in 1848. William Stancombe provided a market hall in 1862 but the town did not have an adequate piped water supply until 1874 and much of the town was supplied from public pumps, such as those in Conigre and at the town bridge. Until 1854 the blind house, or lock up, at the Town Bridge had been the only means of confining prisoners. Built in 1757 it had originally had both stocks and a ducking stool alongside it. In 1854 a police station was opened in Stallard Street near the railway station; a police force had existed in the town from 1839. In 1799 a body of 'Improvement Commissioners' was set up with powers to pave, light and scavenge the streets of the town and provide watchmen. Previously, from 1752, the main roads had been managed by Turnpike Trustees.

Relief of the poor and the repair of minor roads were carried out by the parish vestry. In 1856 a public cemetery was opened, which relieved pressure on the overcrowded church and chapel graveyards. These all closed down in 1856 and 1857. The decline of the textile industry allowed other industries to develop in the town during the 19th century. When Boulton and Watt were supplying engines to the early steam powered factories they sent George Haden to the town in 1814 to erect an engine. He decided to settle here and made and repaired engines, but soon expanded into the provision of heating and catering equipment for large buildings such as stately homes, warehouses, hospitals and prisons. In the latter part of the 19th century Hadens became one of the foremost control heating companies in Europe. The various small breweries that Trowbridge had in the 19th century eventually developed into just two; J.H. and H. Blake in Union Street, which was absorbed by Thomas Usher, who began brewing in Back Street in the 1820s.

Ushers became one of the larger West Country brewers, had substantial industrial sites in the town and renovated the fine Georgian houses on The Parade. Later in the 19th century a bedding industry grew up in the town, initially using flock from waste at the cloth mills. At some time in the late 1870s Hedley Chapman arrived in Trowbridge and set up the wholesale bedding manufacturers that is now Airsprung Furniture Group PLC. The food processing industry also moved into Trowbridge in the 19th century. Abraham Bowyer had moved to Trowbridge around 1816 as a grocer, miller and provision merchant. The firm moved into bacon curing and sausage making in the 1850s. The company became one of the larger employers in the town and in the later 20th century were taken over by Unigate and then acquired by Northern Foods. In 1821 Trowbridge overtook Salisbury as the largest place in the county; a position it maintained until the census of 1871 when the expanding railway town of Swindon just edged ahead.

The substantial expansion of the town's population had ended by 1821 when most of the factories had been built and new industrial workers attracted from the rural areas. Population increased by only 10.6% in the 100 years between 1831 and 1931 although the area covered by the town increased dramatically. Trowbridge was becoming more prosperous and people were looking to move out of the crowded and often insanitary town centre. Between 1850 and 1870 many terraces of small houses (2 up, 2 down) were built for people working in the factories. These were mainly in three areas: the Frome Road-Park Street-Bond Street district, the Ashton Street-Harford Street area, and in Dursley Road. A better class suburb had appeared along the Hilperton Road from the 1790s to the later 19th century and Victoria Road was built in 1860.

A little below this in standard were the houses of Wingfield Road and West Ashton Road, while for the rather less wealthy there was the villa type housing of Westbourne Road (1870s) and Avenue and Clarendon Roads (1890s). By the close of the 19th century the worst courts and slum tenements of the town had gone and the number of houses had increased by 800 in 60 years. Until the 19th century there were no real public buildings, as Trowbridge was a 'non corporate' town. Public meetings and events took place at the two principle inns, the George and the Woolpack. In the 1860s assembly rooms appeared as did the very popular Hills' Hall. The Town Hall was presented to the town by Sir Roger Brown in 1889 to mark the golden jubilee of Queen Victoria. The century also saw the provision of educational institutions.

There had been a charity school in the corner of the churchyard but the National Society provided Holy Trinity (1836), Parochial (1846), Studley (1854) and Park Street (1872) while the British Society provided schools at British Row (1832) and Newtown (1900). In 1898 Wiltshire County Council built its first offices in the town and in 1900 decided that all its future meetings should be held here. The decision to remain here was taken in the 1930s and the new County Hall was opened in 1940. Trowbridge became the administrative, and then the county, town of Wiltshire. In the 20th century the town again began to expand, especially after 1930. Housing was provided by the urban district council just after the First World War at Pitman Avenue and continued in the 1920s at Studley Rise, and in the 1930s at Longfield and Shails' Lane (later the Seymour Estate). After the Second World War they built extensively at Studley Green.

The town council pursued a successful policy of attracting new industries on land at Ladydown and Bradley Road while older firms, such as Bowyers, Airsprung and Waldens, expanded. In the 1930s much of the Conigre had been demolished (this was completed in the early 1950s) along with courts of small houses in the Newtown, Mortimer Street and Union Street areas. In those years many private houses were built in developments at The Croft, Rutland Crescent, Clarendon Avenue and along the Frome and Bradley Roads. During the Second World War many factories made parts of Spitfires, which were assembled and flown from Keevil. The Barracks was extended by extensive hutted camps. The town only suffered from stray bombs, the worst being in 1942 when bombs near the Town Bridge partly demolished Bridge House, killed two people at The Bear and took the roof off the blind house. After the war the population increased significantly but the woollen industry slowly ended with five factories reduced to one by 1974 and that final one closing in 1982 when Samuel Salter and Co. ceased production in Home Mill.

The building is now partly occupied by the new Trowbridge Museum, which opened in 1990. There are fine collections on the cloth industry, with examples of most types of machinery used, and much other local material. The town has continued to expand outwards and recently some of the old local authority housing has been replaced by more attractive modern housing. Council Trowbridge Town Council - Strategry, reports and awards - Trowbridge Town Council Trowbridge Town Council This strategy is available to view by clicking: Trowbridge Town Council Strategy Should you have any comments on either of these strategies please feel free to contact us. Town Council Annual Reports To download the 2015-2016 Town Council Annual Report, please click here. A copy is available to view at the Town Council Reception area at The Civic Centre, St. Stephen's Place, via info@trowbridge.gov.uk or you may call us on 01225 765072.

Council Trowbridge Town Council is the first tier of local government for the county town of Wiltshire, serving a population of over 40,000 and providing a range of services including; Active Trowbridge , Trowbridge Museum , Trowbridge Information Centre , Civic Centre , Longfield Community Centre and working with the community to achieve more. Trowbridge Town Council was formed in 1974 as part of a then re-organisation of local government. There are 21 councillors who serve on the council: details of whom and the wards they represent can be found on the Councillors page. This page also includes details of Wiltshire County Councillors representing the town. Wiltshire Council is the unitary principal authority for the area, providing the following services: Highways, Planning, Adult Social Care, Children's Services & Education, Libraries, Leisure, Refuse Collection & Disposal and many more. A link to Wiltshire Council and other organizations involved in the governance and service provision within the town is provided via our Partnership Links page. Members of Trowbridge Town Council do not receive payment or expenses for being elected members. They give their time voluntarily for the benefit of the town and its residents.

The paid officers of the council undertake the work of management, administration and service delivery. Councillors make decisions through the meetings of Council and Commitees. Each year one of the Councillors is elected by the others to be Mayor. The Mayor acts as Chair of the Council. The Leader is the councillor who heads the largest political group represented on the council and is appointed annually. He leads the decision-making process and directs strategic policy and budget setting and is on every committee of the council. Town Clerk The Town Clerk of Trowbridge is Lance Allan. The Town Clerk is the Chief Executive of the Town Council, the most senior officer, working closely with the council leader and responsible for strategy and policy, making recommendations to the council and the Policy & Resources Committee. The department heads and service managers report to the Town Clerk. The Town Clerk is also the Proper Officer of the council, with responsibilities for advising the council and signing documents on behalf of the council. Lance has been the Town Clerk since September 2005. He has been a parish councillor in the village where he lives for over 20 years and has served on the National Association of Local Councils’ national council.

He was a project manager in the logistics industry for 17 years prior to joining Trowbridge Town Council. He has an honours degree in Transport Operation and Planning, a Certificate in Local Council Administration and a foundation degree in Community Engagement and Governance. Lance says, ‘It is a great privilege to be the Town Clerk of such a fantastic place as Trowbridge, the County Town of Wiltshire. With a group of committed councillors and a great team of dedicated staff we have been able to deliver significant improvements and continue to provide quality services for the community. We still have much to achieve to ensure that everyone can DISCOVER Trowbridge.’ Wiltshire County Council - Wiltshire and Swindon Archives Search the catalogue of Wiltshire Wills , together with a selection of related digital images.

Local Studies Search the Wiltshire Studies collection (opens in new window) held both within the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre, and at libraries across Wiltshire Museums Search the 'Wiltshire Treasures' catalogues of objects (opens new window) held by selected Museums throughout Wiltshire and Swindon Sites and Monument Record Search the Sites and Monuments Record for details of the county's archaeology and ancient monuments Community History These pages contain information on 261 Wiltshire communities covering the whole of the Wiltshire Council administered area of the county; having been compiled by Wiltshire Libraries & Heritage. Every community page already has certain basic information, such as early maps, local administrative bodies, population from 1801, newspapers for its area, lists of local maps, the registration district, information on buildings and links to other sites of interest. Since our launch in May 2002 we have been adding much more detailed information for each community. This includes a further parish map, a brief history of the community, histories of churches and schools, a booklist, local authors and literary associations and images of old and modern photographs.

Contact Details Wiltshire | county, England, United Kingdom | Britannica.com county, England, United Kingdom Henry Saint John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke Wiltshire, administrative, geographic, and historic county of southern England . It is situated on a low plateau draining into the basins of the Bristol Channel , the English Channel , and the eastward-flowing River Thames . Trowbridge , on the western side of the county, is the administrative centre. Sarsen horseshoe of Stonehenge III, Wiltshire, Eng. Katherine Young/EB Inc. The administrative, geographic, and historic counties occupy slightly different areas. The administrative county of Wiltshire is bounded to the north by the administrative county of Gloucestershire , to the northeast by the unitary authority of Swindon , to the east by the unitary authority of West Berkshire , to the southeast by the administrative county of Hampshire , to the south by the administrative county of Dorset , to the southwest by the administrative county of Somerset , and to the west by the unitary authority of Bath and North East Somerset and the unitary authority of South Gloucestershire .

Until 2009 the administrative county was divided into four districts: Salisbury , West Wiltshire , Kennet , and North Wiltshire .The geographic county encompasses the entire administrative county together with the unitary authority of Swindon . The historic county of Wiltshire is nearly coterminous with the geographic county but also includes a small area north of Sherston in the district of Cotswold in the administrative county of Gloucestershire. Chalk uplands constitute much of Wiltshire. Salisbury Plain occupies central Wiltshire, and north of the River Kennet are the Marlborough Downs . Along the county’s western border rise parts of the Cotswolds , a range of limestone hills. Between these two upland areas lie the clay vales of Wardour and Pewsey. South of Trowbridge the vales are fairly heavily wooded, in marked contrast to the open, rolling countryside of the uplands. Parts of the Marlborough Downs, the Cotswolds, and the vale of Pewsey have been designated Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Beeches in Savernake Forest, Wiltshire, England.

Cheesby Lancashire In prehistoric times the chalk uplands were the most heavily populated parts of England, and Wiltshire has many prehistoric monuments. Stonehenge , 8 miles (13 km) north of Salisbury , dates from the Neolithic Period; its use by prehistoric peoples has been a topic of much debate. Nearby lie other important Neolithic monuments, including those at Avebury and Windmill Hill . The latter is believed to have been a centre of ritual and of seasonal tribal fasting in the 4th millennium bce. Long Neolithic burial mounds, or barrows, abound, as do round burial mounds from the Bronze Age . Durrington Walls , a large ditch-enclosed ceremonial earthwork, dates from the late 3rd millennium bce. During the Iron Age , hill forts were constructed, such as those at Yarnbury Castle, near Berwick St. James, and at Old Sarum, outside Salisbury. Stonehenge, Avebury, and other associated locations were collectively designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1986. Stonehenge, on the Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire, England.

© Gail Johnson/Fotolia The county has played a relatively minor role in national affairs in historical times. There is little evidence of Roman occupation, and in the Middle Ages sheep farming by Cistercian monks was probably the most important activity. Salisbury has long been the ecclesiastical centre of the county and is renowned for its 13th-century cathedral. The cathedral and many other buildings in the county have been designated as being of special architectural and historic interest. Church of St. Mary and St. Nicholas, Wilton, Wiltshire, England. Alan Ford Outside Salisbury and industrial Swindon , agriculture is the most important activity. A large part of Salisbury Plain is occupied by the Ministry of Defense for military purposes. Sand and gravel, chalk, limestone, and clay are worked in various parts of the county. Tourism is of great importance, and Stonehenge is one of the most heavily visited sites in Britain . Area administrative county, 1,257 square miles (3,255 square km); geographic county, 1,346 square miles (3,485 square km). Pop.

(2001) administrative county, 432,973; geographic county, 613,024; (2011) administrative county, 470,981; geographic county, 680,137. Learn More in these related articles: in England Visit Trowbridge Travel Guides for Tourists, Holiday Makers and Business Travellers VisitTrowbridge.com Visit Trowbridge The charming, fascinating, historic market town of Trowbridge is the county town of the lovely rural county of Wiltshire in England. Wiltshire is located west of London along the M4 motorway, between Hampshire and Oxfordshire on its eastern boundaries and Avon, Somerset and Gloucestershire to its west. Trowbridge is about 15 miles south-west of Bristol and 7 miles from the lovely, historic Roman city of Bath. Then, 4 miles to the north-east of Trowbridge is the market town of Melksham, and 8 miles to the east is the lovely rural town of Devizes.

Just 2 miles north is lovely Bradford-on-Avon, lying on the River Avon which flows through Bath and Bristol......not to be confused with the other famous River Avon on which Stratford-upon-Avon lies. By the way, the name "avon" is the Anglicised version of the Welsh word for "river", which is "afon". There is no V in the Welsh alphabet, so a single "F" is pronounced "V ", and" F" in Welsh is written as "FF". It must be realised that Early Welsh, known as British, was the language of the whole of England and Southern Scotland for 1000 years before the English came from Germany in the 5th century after the Romans had left and the Scots arrived in Scotland from Ireland around the same time. When Hadrian built his famous Wall, he split Welsh speaker from Welsh speaker.......not the English from the Scots, as many seem to think! Those two peoples did not even arrive in Britain until around 3or 4 centuries years later. Hence, the plethora of Welsh place-names and river names, like Avon, Dover, Malvern, Morecambe, Lanark and Glasgow which still survive in Scotland and England!

Even the oldest existing Welsh poetry was composed in Din Eidin, now known as Edinburgh, circa AD 600!! To return to Wiltshire; just to the south of Trowbridge are the towns of Westbury, Frome and Warminster, lying on the western flank of the bare, wide grassy expanse of Salisbury Plain, where the British Army does much of its training. If one heads north from Trowbridge, via Melksham, one reaches the larger town of Chippenham within 8 miles and 3 miles beyond that, along the A350, one encounters Junction 17 on the M4 and the well-known Leigh Delamere Services. So, although Trowbridge, Wiltshire, has a lovely rural location, it has easy lines of access and communication with the outside world and cannot be described as isolated. In fact, there is a good, fairly straight road, the A36, linking Trowbridge, via Salisbury, with the major UK port of Southampton. So anytime a Trowbridge citizen fancies a lovely cruise to the sun, the cruise port of Southampton is within easy reach!!

Wiltshire is quite a large county, covering an area of 3,481 square kilometres, or 1,344 square miles in "old money"!! The population of Wiltshire now exceeds 600,000 as more and more leave our noisy cities for a quieter life in rural surroundings. The town of Swindon, Wiltshire, conveniently located on the M4 west of Reading and London, has seen a remarkable growth in population and prosperity over recent years, as more and more companies relocate there. Being that Trowbridge is the county town of Wiltshire, it is the administrative centre for the county, so the county council offices are located there. In fact, Trowbridge is located near the geographical centre of Wiltshire, which is one of the reasons it was chosen as the County Town. It also has excellent rail links and is within easy reach of major motorways. There are regular bus services to and from Westbury, Warminster, Salisbury, Bradford-on-Avon and Bath, to Frome, Melksham and Chippenham, and to Swindon and Devizes.

Sir Isaac Pitman, who invented a system of shorthand still in use today, was born in Trowbridge, which was first mentioned as a Saxon village in the Domesday Book. The cloth industry maintained Trowbridge's wealth for over five hundred years. The majority of the buildings in the town centre are listed and are a witness to the prosperity of the clothiers that made their fortunes here. Trowbridge boasts some of the finest Georgian buildings in the country and has many examples of architecture and engineering that place Trowbridge in the historical records books: Mills that were the first to use gas, one of the only remaining Handle Houses in the country, and buildings that chronicle the entire history of the cloth trade. Today Trowbridge is still a bustling business town. It has two shopping centres, Castle Place on the site of the former cattle market and The Shires in a modern complex that has been built around Salter's Mill, which now houses the town's excellent museum. The two shopping centres are linked by a pedestrianised shopping area that offers a wide range of shops from the traditional to the specialised retailers.

Nothing is very far away in Trowbridge and once visitors have parked in one of the many car parks, the busy town centre is only a leisurely walk away. Trowbridge is known for the friendly welcome it offers to its visitors. There is much to see and do! The Roman city of Bath; the fascinating wildlife tourist attraction of Longleat; the ancient iconic world-famous megaliths of Stonehenge and beautiful historic Salisbury Cathedral, are all within easy reach. The Kennet and Avon Canal skirts the edge of Trowbridge and there are some wonderfully atmospheric old world country pubs and coaching inns in the area. As mentioned, Trowbridge is close to some of the oldest man-made stone structures known to Man, even older than the Great Pyramid of Egypt. In the New Stone Age or Neolithic period (c 3400-2400 BC) striking Megalithic monuments, burial chambers and henges were built in Wiltshire. Stonehenge is some 31 miles/50km from the town, and Avebury, famous for its ring of standing stones, is just 19 miles/30km away.

Close to Avebury lies Silbury Hill, the largest man-made mound in Europe. Dating from the same time as the Henges, it took some 18 million man-hours to build. It seems likely that there was a settlement in the Trowbridge area as far back as the early Bronze Age, around 2300 to 1700 BC. The Bronze Age in Britain saw the arrival of immigrants from central Europe. One group was known as the Beaker People (named for their unique pottery). Examples of their pottery have been found in West Kennet Long Barrow in Wiltshire and close to Trowbridge at Staverton. There are also Bronze Age barrows at Bratton Camp on the downs overlooking the town. There are some 120 major visible pre-Norman Conquest (1066) sites of antiquity within 65km/40 miles of Trowbridge. Such a concentration of sites within such a relatively small area is unique in the United Kingdom.

These include Stonehenge, Avebury, the Uffington White Horse, Wookey Hole, Wayland's Smithy, West Kennet Long Barrow, the Wansdyke, Silbury Hill, Badbury Rings and Cadbury Castle. It is a truly fascinating area for lovers of ancient history. Dating from later, Norman times, there are also the remains of Trowbridge Castle to be viewed and wondered at. So why not visit Trowbridge for a few days and enjoy a relaxing break exploring beautiful countryside and the wonders of ancient Britain..........and enjoy some wonderful real ales in some wonderful real pubs. Trowbridge - Visit Wiltshire Trowbridge Email About Trowbridge, the County Town of Wiltshire , has ancient roots, was first mentioned in the Domesday Book as ‘Straburg’. Trowbridge castle, recorded in 1139 as besieged during a civil war between King Stephen and Empress Mathilda no longer exists, but it has left its mark on the town; Fore Street follows the line of the castle ditch.

Trowbridge holds Wiltshire’s earliest market charter dating back to 1200 and today offers a weekly street market each Wednesday, and farmers’ markets on the second and fourth Friday of each month. The town has a range of shops including diverse independent retailers, supermarkets and national chains. There are both free and reasonably priced parking around the town: in addition, Trowbridge has excellent public transport links. In 1215 Henry de Bohun, who is depicted in a stained glass window in St James’ Church, held the castle and was one of the English Barons who forced King John to sign the Magna Carta. There is a permanent Henry de Bohun display within Trowbridge Museum and a Henry de Bohun trail which encompasses sites within the town centre. Trowbridge grew and developed through a long history of woollen cloth production which began in Anglo-Saxon times, expanded in the 14th century, leaving a rich architectural legacy; examples range from the fine 18th-century homes of wealthy clothiers (the industry’s middle men), to the rare Handle House (which was used to dry teasels), and former mill buildings.

The scale of West of England cloth production was once so great that the town became known as ‘the Manchester of the West’. This fascinating past can be relived in the town’s award-winning Museum and Art Gallery which houses a nationally significant collection dedicated to woollen cloth production, including working looms. Displays trace the mechanisation of the industrial processes, and the impact it had on society. The Museum also has an area dedicated to famous Trowbridge Victorians, including the Trowbridge-born creator of shorthand, Sir Isaac Pitman. Despite its significant heritage, Trowbridge is still firmly rooted in the present with leisure facilities and cultural activities to meet the demands of the 21st century. The Civic Centre in St Stephen’s Place runs a programme of events to suit all tastes, and is ideally placed as a conference and meeting facility. Next door is a multi-screen Odeon cinema, adjacent to cafés, hotels and restaurants. Throughout the summer, Trowbridge Town Park hosts events such as the Wiltshire Armed Forces and Veterans Weekend, sporting events and the town’s annual Country Fayre.

Trowbridge has a thriving arts scene including an annual Arts Festival, and Cloth Road Arts event which alternates with the museum’s biennial West of England Festival of Textiles. There is also an excellent library at County Hall. Christmas in Trowbridge has a unique feel. The Museum has developed a Victorian Christmas recreating a traditionally decorated parlour belonging to the mill owning Salter family. In addition a member of the Salter family reads Christmas stories and children can experience a traditional Father Christmas dressed in green velvet, based upon a Dickens Christmas Carol character. Children will receive a traditional gift as part of their experience. Facilities

Question: Trowbridge is the administrative centre for which county?
Answer: Wiltshire